Power board recast on cards
Gurpreet Singh Nibber
PATIALA:

In an emergency meeting called here on Saturday by the Punjab State Electricity Board, Chief Engineers of the operations wing and General Managers in charge of the three thermal plants were told to pre- pare a “contingency plan“ keep- ing in view the unbundling of the power board.
The developments point to the implementation of unbundling having reached an advanced stage.

It is for the first time since 2003 -- when the Electricity Act was passed and the Central government instructed states to restructure the power boards -- that the PSEB has asked its senior officials to make arrangements keeping in view the restructuring.

During the previous Congress regime, in 2005, the govern- ment was close to unbundling but such instructions to the top-rung officials were not issued.

Saturday's meeting was sub- sequent to a meeting held in Chandigarh earlier this week of the power board manage- ment with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Badal had conveyed the gov- ernment's intention to fulfill the bare minimum require- ments of unbundling.

The deadline for extension against unbundling ends on April 15 and the Chief Minister is also expected to meet the Union Power Minister next week for a final word. So far the government has not applied for any further extension.

The operations Chief Engineers, who attended the meeting, were categorically told to have alternate plans in place in case of a strike by the board employees and also have an action plan ready for smooth generation and distribution of electricity.

The government is appre- hending opposition and unrest among the employees as they have been opposing unbundling since the Act was passed.

Chief Secretary S.C.
Aggarwal, when contacted, said the government had a plan in mind but it would take shape only “when the right time comes“.

He said the government was also aware of the fact that the deadline for unbundling ended on April 15.

The board, meanwhile, has cancelled the leave permitted to Chief Engineers and other department heads and they have been instructed to stay on duty for at least two months.